Embossing machine carriage



Oct. 5, 1948.

J. H. GRUVER 2,450,725

EMBOSS ING MACHINE CARRIAGE Filed Nov. 16, 1946 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR- cfo/fwfifz'a vex BY wM/ W ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1948. J. H. GRUVER EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1946 INVENTOR- anflfru ver ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1948.

J. H. GRUVER 2,450,725

EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGE Filed NOV. 16, 1.946 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 7IIIIII I i I INVENTOR;

ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1948. J. 1-1. GRUVER EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGE 7 Sheets-Sheet, 4

Filed Nov. 16, 1946 L E m Q 1| 3 2 W M vg wwflwwwww wm L m AO$ M 3 u o m v INVENTOR. M650 WQraver BY ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1948. J. H. GRUV ER I EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGE Filed Nov. 16, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheetv 5 J 2 'INVENTOR. 0 72 79 Graver BY ATTORNEYS Filed Nov. 16, 1946 Oct. 5, 1948. .1. H. GRUVER 2,450,725

EMBOS S ING MACHINE CARR IAGE 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

afoknfi Gray/er BY 50M M W ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, 1948. J. H. GRUVER 2,450,725

EMBOSSING MAGHINE CARRIAGE Filed Nov. 16. 1946 '7' Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEYS Patented Oct; 5, 1948 EMBOSSING MACHINE CARRIAGE John H. Gruver, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation,

Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 16, 1946, Serial No. 710,269

19 Claims.

This invention relates to embossing machines,

and particularly to the carriage that is employed in such machines to support a printing plate or the like while embossing operations are performed thereon.

In the prior patent to Duncan and Hubbard No. 1,831,103, patented November 10, 1931 there is disclosed an embossing machine for embossing lines of type characters on printing plates or the like, and in the use of a machine of the characters disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan and I-Iubbard patent, it is desirable that the work supporting carriage be of such a character as to be readily adaptable to the different conditions and requirements that are encountered in the production of embossed printing plates. Such printing plates are made in different sizes so as to accommodate different numbers of lines of embossed characters, and in different embossing machine installations it is found that the different users may desire to space the line of type in different amounts from the end of the printing plate. It is also found that where printing plates that accommodate d fferent numbers of lines are to be used, the initial position of the cross slide of the embossing machine carriage must be changed and adjusted in accordance with the size of printing plate that is to be embossed. Many users of embossing machines of the aforesaid character have occasion to emboss many different sizes of printing plates, and to emboss these printing plates with different marginal arrangements. Furthermore, there are instances where a particular user of an embossing machine may wish to use different line spacings as well as different character spacings, and in the past this has been impractical because of the difficulty and time required to effect the necessary adjustments of the various elements of the embossing machine.

In view of the foregoing it is an important ob ject of the present invention to enable the elements of an embossing machine carriage to be readily and easily adjusted by the usual operator of such machine so as to enable such operator to obtain different line spacings, different character spacings, different end margins and different initial line-spacing locations for the cross slide of the embossing machine carriage.

From a manufacturing standpoint it is desirable that the carriage in an embossing machine be of such a character as to be readily adaptable for use in different models of the same basic machine. Thus, for example, some embossing machines are made for manual operation and control, and in such an instance, the printing plates are usually mounted in and removed from position on the cross slide of the embossing machine carriage by manual operations. In other instances, the embossing machine may be so embodie'd so as to provide for power operated loading and unloading mechanism, while in still other instances, the machine may be so arranged to provide for automatic loading and unloading of the printing plates as well as for automatic control of the character selection and the various movements of the carriage and cross slide that are required. It is therefore a futher object of the present invention to enable a carriage of standard or basic design to be utilized either in manually controlled embossing machines or in automatically controlled embossing machines. Another object related to the foregoing is to enable the standard or basic carriage to be utilized in such different types of machines with but very little alteration.

Further and more specific objects of the invention are to provide an embossing machine carriage having simple and readily adjustable means for obtaining different line spacing movements of the cross slide; to aiford simple and readily adjustable means for determining the initial line-spacing positioning of the cross slide in an embossing machine; to afford simple and readily adjustable means for determining the end margin that is to be afforded on printing plates produced in such a machine; and to afford readily adjustable means for changing the character spacing movements of such an embossing machine carriage.

Because of the spring-urged, step by step character-spacing movements that are imparted to the carriage in such a machine, and by reason of the spring-urged releasing or returnmovements that are imparted to the carriage as well as the cross slide, it is usually found that prior mechanisms of thi character are noisy, and are subjected to undue stresses when such spring induced movements are abruptly terminated, and it is a further object of the present invention to enable the carriage and the cross slide in such embossing machines to be materially reduced in weight so as to avoid the aforesaid objectionable characteristics. 7

Other and further objects of the'present invention will be apparent from the following ,description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be plying those principles.

the best mode in which I have contemplated ap- Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an embossing machine tcarriage embodying the features of the inven- Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the carriage mounted in position on the supporting and guiding rail of an embossing machine;

Figs. 2A and 2B are side and end views respectively of an adjustable stop member for determining the end margins to be afforded on the embossed plates;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the carriage as viewed from the left in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a right hand end elevational view of the carriage;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along'the line 6-6 of Fig. 7;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 'i-i of Fig. '6;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are fragmentary vertical sectionalviews taken along the line 8-3 of Fig. 6 and showing the line spacing stop mechanism in difierent positions of adjustment;

Fig. 10A is a vertical sectional view tals'en substantially along the line HJAl&A of Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken through the clamping jaw structure and showing a printing plate in position in the clamping jaws;

Fig. 12 is a rear elevational View of the clamping iaw structure as viewed from the line 12-42 in Fig. 5;

v Fig. 13 is a plan view of the clamping jaw structure with the clamping jaws in their horizontal position;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the clamping jaws;

Fig. 15 is an elevational view of an escapement means that may be utilized to control the character spacing movements of the carriage of the present invention;

FigJl'G is a plan view of the escapement shown in 15:

Fig. 17 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 11-41 of Fig. 15:

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view showing additional details of the carriage and the manner or its association with the escapement mechanism;

Fig. 19 is a vertical sectional view taken sub stantially along the line 19-49 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '20 is a Vertical sectional view taken sub stantially along the line 20-2i3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 21 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2l--2l of Fig. 1, but showing the locating pawl in operative engagement with the most righthand one of the control 'ratchets;

Fig. 22 is a view taken along the line 22-22 of Fig.1;

Figs. 23 and 24 are detailed views showing the form of the control ratchets;

Fig. 24A is a view illustrating further details of the mounting of the control ratchets;

Fig. 25 is a front elevational view of the carriage of thepresentinvention as it is modified to adapt the same for attainment of automatic line spacing operation of the cross slide; and

Fig. 26 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2625 of Fig. 25.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated as embodied in an embossing machine carriage 33 adapted for use in an embossing machine such as that disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan and Hubbard patent, and in such use, the carriage 3G is mounted and guided for horizontal character spacing movement on a supporting rail 31. The carriage 3!} has a cross slide 3-2 mounted thereon for horizontal linespacing movement in a direction transverse to the aforesaid direction of character spacing movement,. and thus the cross slide 32 may be utilized to effect line spacing movement of a printing plate or the like that is supported on the cross slide 32. The mounting of the work, such as the printing plate P, Fig. 11, on the cross slide 32 may be effected in different ways, but as herein shown, such mounting is effected manually by means of a pair of clamping jaws 33 that are shiftably mounted on the cross slide 34 for movement between a leading position shown in Figs. 3 and 5 and an operating position that is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The carriage 38 is supported on the rail 3! by means including a plurality of rollers 35 that are mounted on the carriage 30 and engage appropriate surfaces of the rail iii to support and guide the carriage 34 for longitudinal movement along the rail 3 l. The carriage 38 is urged in a right hand or character spacing direction by resilient means or the charact-er disclosed in the aforesaid Duncan and Hub-- bard patent, and character spacing movements are automatically imparted to the carriage 30 at the end or each embossing cycle by downward movement of'a character spacing rod 39, Figs. 5 and 15-18. The character spacing rod 39 may of course be manually actuated where a character spacing operation is to be performed without operation of the embossing means of the machine.

While difierent kinds and types of escapement means 38 may, of course, be utilized in cooperation with the carriage of the present invention, such escapement means have been shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 15 to 18 because of the particular cooperation that these escapement means have with the elements of the carriage of the present invention.

IThus the escapement 38 includes a relatively long pawl 40 pivoted on a stud 4| at its left hand end and extending to the right as shown in Fig. 15 so that its right hand end 40E is disposed over the forwardly extended end 39E of the character spacing rod 39. The rod 39, as will be evident in Figs. 16 and 17, is guided near its upper end by a guide block 42 fixed on the rear face of the rail 3|, and the end 39E of the rod 39 extends forwardly through a relatively large opening 43 formed in the rail 3|. The pawl 40 has a relatively narrow tooth GOT formed thereon so as to extend in a forward direction, as will be evident in Fig. 16, and this tooth MT is adapted for cooperation with a suitable toothed escapement rack R on the carriage 38 as will hereinafter be described in detail. The pawl 30 is urged in a downward or clockwise direction, Fig. 15, by a spring 45 that acts between a rearwardly turned ear 56 on the pawl 40 and an anchoring pin '41 secured on the rail 3|.

The escapement mechanism 38 also includes a pawl 58 that is pivoted for rocking movement on a mounting stud 51 that is disposed between the rod 39 and the pivot stud M. The pawl 50 has an arm 59E formed thereon that extends to the right, Fig. 15, so as to be disposed beneath the forward end 39E of the character spacing rod; and to the left of the mounting stud 5!, the pawl 5i) has a relatively large block 52 fixed thereon, this block having a downwardly extending tooth SGT formed thereon for cooperation with the toothed rack R that is provided on the carriage 3!. The pawl 55 has an opening 53 therein through which the tooth 55T extends in a forward direction so that the teeth MT and MT may be brought alternately into operative engagement with the rack R of the carriage. The pawl 58 is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 54 that is extended between the ear 46 of the pawl 46 and an anchoring ear 55 formed on the pawl 53. As will be evident in Figs. 15, 16 and 17, the ear 55 extends rearwardly and then downwardly from the upper edge of the pawl 50 so as to thereby dispose the lower end .of the ear 55 behind the arm 40E of the pawl 50. Thus the escapement may be operated by downward movement of the rod 39, such downward movement serving to lift the tooth 551T and lower the tooth 4ST to accomplish the usual half-space advancing movement, and upon upward or return movement of the spacing rod 39, the tooth SGT is again lowered and the tooth MIT is raised to complete the full-space advancing movement.

Under and in accordance with the present invention, the carriage 3B is formed from a casting that is preferably made from a light weight metal to afford a top wall 59 and a front wall 6| joined by opposite end walls 62 and $3, and a lower wall 64 is afforded that is spaced upwardly from wardly extending wall 65, and along the rear edge of the wall 65, suitable ears 66 project rearwardly for mounting of certain of the carriage supporting rollers. Other mounting ears 6'! and 68 are also provided in association with the top wall 60 of the casting for supporting other of the rollers.

The top wall 68 of the body of the carriage 36 serves as a mounting for the cross slide 32, and it will be observed in Figs. 5 to A and 18, that the cross slide 32 is formed as a metal stamping, thereby to reduce the cost as well as the weight of this element of the structure. Thus the cross slide 32 has a top wall BET and has flanges 32F extended downwardly along its side and end edges. In supporting the cross slide 32 in position on the top wall 66 of the carriage 39, a pair of stationary guide rods F8 are secured in position on the top wall 6-9 of the carriage and are extended through bearing hubs 3213 that are staked in position in appropriately placed openings in the front and rear flanges 32F of the cross slide so that the cross slide 32 may move slidably along the guide rods 78. The rods in are secured in fixed position in a mounting bar H that is removably secured in position on the top of the wall 69 and beneath the cross slide 32. The mounting bar ii is formed from sheet metal by processes of stamping so as to afford a, pair of inverted U-shaped members 12 that extend upwardly and embrace the respective guide rods Hi, and as will be evident in Figs. 6 and 7. The guide rods iii are in each instance supported and held in place within the U-shaped members 72 b a pair of transverse pins 13. After the rods ill have been extended through the hubs 323 at the front and rear flanges 32F of the cross slide, and have been secured in place on the mounting bar H by the pins 13, the mounting bar H is secured in place on the carriage 36 by screws i4 that are extended downwardly through the mounting bar H and into the top wall Bil. Such attaching operations are made possible by openings 15 formed in the top wall 32T of the cross slide, as will be evident in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The cross slide 32 is constantly urged in a forward direction by an expansive spring Tl that surrounds a guide rod [8 beneath the cross slide 32. The guide rod 13 is extended into openings in the front and rear flanges 32F of the cross slide, and retaining collars l3 fixed on the rod 78 serve to hold this rod '58 in engagement with such openings in the front and rear flanges. At its forward end the spring ll acts against the forward collar we while at its rear end the spring l! acts against an upstanding ear 8% that is formed on the rear edge of the mounting bar H so as to embrace the guide rod 18.

Thus the spring l1 serves to urge the cross slide 32 to a forward or loading position and when 1 the cross slide is released for such forward or return movement, the position assumed by the cross slide 32 may be determined by adjustable stop means that are afforded under the present inven tion so that the cross slide 32 will assume a loading position that is related to the size of printing plate that is to be carried thereby. Thus a rotatable stop rod 85 is extended through the front and rear flanges of the cross slide 32, as will be evident in Figs. 6 to 10, and this stop rod 85 has a plurality of radially extended stop pins 86-3, 85-6 and 858 disposed thereon in longitudinally as well as angularly displaced relation. The pin 86 that is disposed in a downwardly extending relation is arranged in the forward movement of the cross slide 32 to engage the rear edge of the mounting bar ii, thereby to limit the forward movement of the cross slide 32, and provision is made for setting the stop rod 85 in different positions so as to render diiferent ones of the stop pins 86 effective. Thus a knurled setting knob 88 is provided on the forward end of the rod 85 so that the rod 85 may be readily rotated to different set positions, indicated by appropriate indicia 88A on the knob 88, and the rod is held v in any adjusted position by a spring detent that is associated with the rod. Thus the rod as herein shown has a square block 89 fixed thereon near the rear end thereof, and a fiat or bar type spring 98 fixed at 9! on the lower face of the wall SZT is arranged to yieldingly engage the lower face of the square block 89, thus to afford four different adjusted positions for the stop rod 85. The stop rod 85 may thus be utilized to govern the forward or loading position of the carriage in accordance with the width of the printng plates that are to be embossed in the machine.

The forward or line spacing movements of the cross slide 32 are imparted thereto by actuation of a rotatable line spacing shaft use that is extended through the end walls 62 and E3 of the carriage adjacent to the upper wall 69, and the shaft :83 is horizontally disposed at right angles to the path of movement of the cross slide 32. On its opposite end portions and just outside of the walls 62 and $3, the shaft me has a pair of pinions i9! and 32 that are fixed to the shaft Hit. The pin'ions If]! and IE2 are arranged respectively to engage racks I63 and H54 that are fixed on opposite end flanges of the cross slide 32'by means in- 7 eluding rivets I05, and hence by rotation of the shaft I00, the cross slide 32 may be actuated in a rearward or line. spacing direction against the force of the return spring H.

In the use of the carriage of thepresent invention, the line spacing shaft I is actuated and its rest positions are determined by operating and controlling means that are located at the right hand end of the shaft I00 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Thus, an actuating pawl H0 is pivoted at III on a rocker II2 that is mounted for rocking movement on the 'shaft I00 somewhat to the right of the pinion I02, and the pawl I I0 has a tooth I IOT that is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel I I3, Figs. 19, 20 and 22, that is fixed on the shaft I00 just to the left of the rocker I I2 as viewed in Fig. 1, it being noted however that in Fig. 1, the ratchet wheel I I3 is hidden beneath the pawl I I0. A spring I I4 acting between a pin II2Pon the rocker H2 and a pin IIOP on the pawl IIil serves to urge the pawl IIII toward an operative relationship with respect to the ratchet wheel H3. The pawl H0 and the rocker II2 are normally urged in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 19, by a spring II5 that is connected to a forwardly projecting arm II2A of the rocker H2, and upon clockwise rocking movement of the rocker II2 from the position shown in Fig. 19 to the position shown in Fig. 20, the tooth I IOT will engage a tooth of the ratchet wheel H3, thereby to impart clockwise advancing movement to the shaft I 00, and this in turn acts to impart rearward or line spacing movement to the cross slide 32. The extent-oi such rocking movement of the rocker I I2 is limited by a stop plate I I6 which is engaged by a stop pin N03. The movement that is thus imparted to the cross slide 32 in a rearward or line spacing direction is under the present invention greater than the largest line spacing dimension or increment that is to be encountered, and means are afforded under the present invention for thereafter determining the actual or final line spacing position of the cross slide 32 in the course of the return or counterclockwise movement of the rocker II2. Under and in accordance with the present invention such final locating means are so arranged that diiferent line spacing dimensions or increments may be readily attained by adjustment of the mechanism by the usual operator thereof. Thus, under the present invention, a plurality of retaining ratchets I20-I, I20-2 and I20--3 are fixed on the line spacing shaft I00 somewhat to the right of the rocker I I2, and these ratchets I20 are spaced apart by circular end and spacer plates or discs I2I-I, I2I--2, I2I-3 and I2I-- I that extend somewhat beyond the outer edges of the ratchet wheels I20.

The right hand disc I2I0 is relatively heavy, as shown in Fig. 24A, and has an axial sleeve I22A fixed thereto so that all of the ratchets I20 and all of the other discs I2I may be put in position on the sleeve I22A. The disc I2I-4 also has a pin I223 fixed thereto so as to be parallel to the sleeve 522A and this pin extends through apertures IEZS formed in the several ratchets I20 and discs I2i, thereby to fix all of the ratchets in a predetermined rotative relation to each other. Resilient C-clamps are then put on the pin I223 to hold the several ratchets I20 and discs i2! together as a unit. This unit may then be put in place on the shaft I00, and a head I23 is fixed on the end of the shaft I00 by means of a set screw I23A. The head I23 carries an ad- ]J'usting eccentric device I233 that includes an eccentric pin I23C, and this pin I230 engages :a radial slot I23D formed in the disc I2I4 so that by adjustment of the eccentric device I23B, the angular position of the ratchets I20 with respect to the shaft E00 may be accurately adjusted. Such adjustment is maintained by a lock nu-t I23E associated with the eccentric ad justment device I233. The ratchet wheels I20 are adapted to be selectively engaged by a retaining pawl I25 that is mounted on a stud I20 that extends to the right from the right hand end wall 62 of the carriage SI, and the pawl I25 is supported for rocking movement on the stud I26 by a sleeve I27 that is knurled at one end to facilitate manual rocking and longitudinal shifting of the pawl I25 on the mounting stud I26. The pawl I25 has a tooth I25T that is adapted to engage the teeth of any selected one of the retaining or positioning ratchets I20 so as to thereby hold the same against counterclockwise movement as shown in Fig. 21. The pawl I25 is urged toward such an effective position by means including a spring I30 which is fixed by means of a screw I3I on a release rocker I35 which is mounted for rocking movement on the stud I20 just to the right of the rocker H2 as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The rocker I35 is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a spring I30 so as to assume the relationship shown in Figs. 19, 20 and 21, and in this position, the retaining pawl I25 will be spring urged by the combined action of the springs I30 and I36 toward the effective position shown in Fig. 21.

The diiferent spacing of the teeth on the 10- cating ratchets I20 will be evident in Fig. 1, and will also be evident upon comparison of the three ratchets as illustrated in Figs. 21, 23 and 24, and any selected one of the ratchets I20 may be rentiered effective by so locating the pawl I25 as to cooperate with the selected one of these ratchets. Thus the pawl I25 may be retracted by movin the rocker I 35 to its release position of Fig. 22 and rotating the sleeve I2! in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 21, thereby to disengage the pawl I25 and move the same beyond the periphery of the spacing discs I2l, and the pawl I25 may then be moved endwise along the mounting stud I 20 into alignment with any desired one of the ratchets I20. Preferably the spring I30 is corrugated as shown at I30A in Fig. 1, thereby to enable the forward edge of .the pawl I25 to be engaged with any selected one of such corrugations to aid in holding the same in the desired longitudinal position on the mounting stud I26.

With the structure that has thus been described, the advancing rocker H2 may be operated through an advancing stroke wherein it moves from the position shown in Fig. 19 to the position shown in Fig. 20, and as such movement progresses, the teeth of the locating ratchet wheel I20 that is then effective will be moved past the locating pawl I25 so that this locating pawl will drop into position opposite the next one of the teeth of this ratchet wheel. The extent of the advancing movement imparted to the shaft I00 by the rocker H2 is of course greater than the amount of movement requred to advance the next tooth 0f the most widely spaced teeth of the ratchets I20 past the pawl I25, and upon return movement of the rocker H2 in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 20, the shaft I00 will move in a return or counterclockwise direction until the locating pawl I25 is engaged by the one of the ratchet teeth with which it is then aligned. This serves therefore to govern the line spacing 9 position of the cross slide 32, and different line spacing dimensions or increments may readily be attained by locating the pawl I25 in an operative relation with respect to different ones of the ratchet wheels I20.

The locating pawl I25 serves to determine the adjusted position of the cross slide 32 in each instance, and when the cross slide is to be released for return movement in a forward direction under the action of its return spring 11, it is necessary not only to release the locating pawl I25, but also to release the advancing pawl III The two pawls I25 and H are released by rocking movement of the release rocker I55 which, as will be evident in Figs. 1, 2 and 19 to 22, has a laterally projecting finger piece 1355 on its forward end that may be moved downwardly, thereby to rock the release rocker from the position shown in Fig. 21 to the position shown in Fig. 22. Such rocking movement of the releasing rocker I35 serves through the action of a pin I40 to correspondingly rock the locating pawl I25 to a released position, this pin I50 being extended from the release rocker I through a slot I4! formed in the release pawl I25. The pin I is parallel to the mounting stud I25 that the pin I40 does not interfere with the longitudinal adjusting'movements of the pawl I25, and the pin I40 is constantly in its operative position in the slot I II. When the release rocker I35 is rocked to its releasing position of Fig. 22, the pin I40 engages the forward or left hand end of the slot I40, Fig. 22, so as to thereby rock the pawl I25 to its retracted or inefiective position.

Such rocking movement of the release rocker l35 also serves to release the pawl H0, and this is accomplished by an arcuate release arm I35A that extends upwardly and rearwardly as will be evident in Fig. 19 to a position below and adjacent to the pin IIIIP that is carried on the advancing pawl IIIl. Hence as the rocker I35 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 22, the upper or cam surface of the arm I35A engages the pin I I0? so as to move the pawl I In to its ineffective position of Fig. 22. The shaft I50 is thereby freed from the restraining action of the pawls III) and I25, and hence the return spring TI serves to shift the cross slide 32 forwardly to the extent determined by the setting of the stop rod 85. When the release rocker I35 is allowed to return to'its normal position of Fig. 21, the pawls I I 0 and I25 are returned to their normal positions so as to be available for advancing and locating the cross slide 32 in the next line spacing operation.

The line spacing movements of the rocker II2 may be imparted thereto in different ways, and it is this characteristic of adaptability that renders thepresent carriage particularly useful, in that the carriage insofar as its line spacing operation may be concerned, may be readily adapted to different uses, particularly where automatic line spacing operation is desired. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 24.01: the drawings such actuation of the line spacing rocker H2 is attained by operation of a bell crank I50 that is pivoted on a horizontal stud I5I that extends inwardly through an appropriate mounting opening in the lever I50 and is screwed into the forward wall 6| of the carriage adjacent the upper edge thereof. The bell crank has an arm I50A extended along the forward wall of the carriage and to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2 so that the end of the arm I50A is disposed beneath the arm II2A of the rocker II2. Thus the spring II5 acts to hold the arm II2A of the rocker H2 in engagement with the arm I50A, and this rocks the arm I50A downwardly and into engagement with a stop pin I52 that is fixed in the forward wall of the carriage 363 as will be evident in Fig. 2 of the drawings. It is the action of the pin I52 that determines the initial or rest position of the line spacing rocker IE2. When the operator desires to impart a line spacing movement to the cross slide 32, the bellcrank I50 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 2, and for this purpose, a finger piece I50F is afforded on the lower end of the downwardly extending arm I503 of the bell crank I50. The finger piece I53? extends in a forward direction so that it may be readily engaged by the operator, and to facilitate the operation of the lever I50, a stationary finger piece I55 is provided so that the lever I55 may be rocked by the application of what may be termed a squeezing force. Thus, as will be evident in Figs. 2 and 5, the stationary finger piece I55 is secured in position on the lower face of the horizontal wall 64, Fig. 5, and extends forwardly in a spaced relation with respect to the finger piece I555. A stop screw I56 is provided on the finger piece I55 so as to lie in the path of the finger piece I555 and this stop I56 acts to limit the operating stroke of the bell crank I50.

It will be recognized that a line spacing operation will in almost every instance be performed at the time when the carriage 30 is being moved to the left through a carriage return operation, and. in the course of such a return movement of the carriage, it is desirable that the character spacing escapement as be disengaged so as'to avoid undue'wear upon the parts of the escapement. For this purpose an escapement release rocker I60 is provided within the interior of the carrier casting above the wall 54, and this escapement release rocker I55 is, as herein shown, formed as a sheet metal stamping. This stamping has ears I6I formed at opposite ends thereof and bent downwardly to enable the same to be mountedona supporting shaft I62 that extends between the opposite end walls 62 and as of the carriage'castbe effective to release the escapement in any longitudinal position of the carriage. The escapement release rocker IEO has a forwardly projecting arm A formed thereon that extends.

through an opening SIA in the forward wall BI of the carriage casting, and a spring I61 acting between the wall 65 and thev arm ItIiA, as shown in 5, serves to normally position the rocker I60 in its ineffective position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. 7

When it is desired to disengage the escapement, the rocker I62 is rocked in a clockwise direction, Fig. 5, and in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 24, this is accomplished as an incident to the operation of the line spacing mechanism. For this purpose an arm I10 is mounted on the stud I5I so that its left hand end is disposed over the forwardly projecting arm IBIIA, and the right hand end of the lever H0 is secured to the arm I55A by a screw I II. Thus when the bell crank I50 is rocked in a counterclockwise direction to cause line spacing move- 11 ment to be imparted to the cross slide 32, the lever no will be moved downwardly so as to actuate the escapement release rocker I39, and while the escapement is released, the operator may move the carriage to the left through a carriage return movement.

In accordance with the present invention, the character spacing increments for the carriage 30 may readily be varied, and for this purpose, the escapement rack R, Figs. and 18, is formed with escapement teeth R-i along one face thereof, and with escapement teeth R-2 along another face thereof, and the escapement rack R is so mounted that either of the two sets of teeth may be moved into an operative relationship with respect to the escapement pawls 4i! and 50. In the present instance the rack R is of square cross section and has sets of rack teeth along but two sides thereof. It will be recognized however that similar sets of teeth could be provided on the other faces of the member, and moreover, this member could be of a different cross section so as to afford an additional number of faces thereon for the provision of additional sets of rack teeth. The different sets of rack teeth are arranged so as to have different spacings so that different character spacing increments may be attained through selective positioning of the rack.

Thus a mounting bracket I is secured on the rear facing of the wall 65 of the carriage casting by means of screws I16, and this mounting bracket has arms I'II extended rearwardly at its opposite ends, and the rack R is pivotally mounted between these arms I11 by pivot means I18 that are coaxial with the rack R. The location of the axis I18 is such that the rack R is disposed beneath the teeth of the pawls 40 and 50 of the escapement, and by rotative adjustment of the rack R, either of the rack sections RI and R2 may be disposed in an upwardly facing or active position.

The rotative adjustment of the rack R is accomplished in a simple and effective manner by the provision of an extension RE on the left hand end of the carriage, such extension being eifected by connection with the pivot pin I18 at that end of the carriage. The extension RE has a radial operating handle I19 provided thereon whereby the rack R may readily be shifted from one position to another, and means are afforded for holding the rack in any desired position of rotative adjustment. For this purpose the extension RE is also square in cross section and is disposed in the same angular relation as the bar that forms the rack R, and a yielding or resilient retaining arm I80 is provided for engagement with the side surfaces of the extension RE to hold the same against inadvertent rotating movement. The retaining arm I80 is pivoted at IBI on the end wall 63 of the carriage as will be evident in Fig. 3, and a torsion spring I84 acts on the arm I80 to yieldingly press the same against the lower face of the extension RE. Thus when the rack R is to be rocked to a new position of adjustment, the

lustrated, means are aiforded for manually mounting the printing plates P in position on the cross slide of the machine, and as will be evident in Figs. 1 to 4 and 11 to 14 of the drawings, such means include the clamping jaws 33 that are supported on a mounting bracket I9] that is in turn secured in position on the upper surface of the cross slide 32. The jaws 33 are mounted for rocking movement between a generally horizontal operating position shown in Fig. 4 and an upwardly and forwardly extending loading position that is shown in Figs, 3, 5, and 11. Such mounting of the jaws 33 is efiected by means including a rock shaft I93 upon which the jaws 33 are carried as will hereinafter be explained, and this shaft I93 is mounted for rocking movement in the mounting bracket I91 that is secured in a fixed position on the top of the cross slide 32. The mountin bracket IQI under the present invention is embodied as a sheet metal stamping having a base ISIB that rests flat on the upper surface of the cross slide 32, and at opposite ends of the base IQIB, upstanding mounting ears ISIE ar afforded. Along the forward edge of the base I9IB, an upstanding wall ISIW is provided, and at its upper edge, this wall has an angularly disposed portion ISIA that is disposed in a plane that basses substantially through the mounting shaft 193, it being noted that this mounting shaft I93 is rotatably supported in the end walls ISIE adjacent the rear ends of these end walls.

The jaws 33 are afforded by two jaw elements which are identified in Figs. 5 and 11 to 14 as an upper jaw 33U and a lower jaw 33L, and both of these jaws are made by processes of stamping from heet metal. The lower jaw 33L has a relatively long edge portion 33E which, as. shown in Figs. 11 and 14, is bent angularly from the plane of the main body of the sheet metal. The main body of the sheet metal is bent at opposite edges to form ears 203 that are parallel to each other, and these ears serve not only to afford a means for pivotally connecting the two jaws together, but also serve as a means for mounting the jaws 33 on the rock shaft I93. The jaw 33U also has an elongated edge portion 33E that is bent from the plane of the main body of jaw 33U, as will be evident in Figs. 11 and 14, and the jaw 33U has what may be termed a tail portion 33T that is somewhat narrower than the body of the lower jaw. 33L. The tail portion 33T has ears 204 formed thereon and these ears serve as a part of the means for pivotally mounting the jaw 33U on the jaw 33L.

In effecting such pivotal mounting or connection of the two jaws, a pivot rod 205 is extended through the ears 203 and the ears 264 of the two jaws, as will be evident in Fig. 13 of the drawings, and in order to impart stiffness or strength to the rod 205, a central bearing block 206 is secured to the jaw 33L as by welding, such block being shown in Figs. 11 and 14 of the drawings. The rod 265 is held against endwise displacement by a pair of retaining discs or washers 201 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings.

The set of jaws 33 that is thus afforded is pivotally mounted on the rock shaft I93 by extending this rock shaft throughL the remote or forward ends of the ears 203, and when this is done, the tail portions 284T of the ears 20'4 bear against one side edge of the rock shaft I93. The contact of the portions 294T with the rock shaft I93 is assured by means of an expansive spring 209 that is mounted on a stud 2 I0 that is fixed in the jaw 33L between the block 206 and the edge portion 33E. The spring 239 acts between the two jaws to press the tail portions 204T against the rock shaft, and cut away cam portions 2 I 2 are provided on the rock shaft I93 so that the front edge portions 33E of the jaws may be clamped together by rocking movement of the shaft I93 relative to the jaws.

Under and in accordance with the present invention, the jaw assembly which includes the rock shaft I93 may be readily and easily put in place on the mounting bracket I9 I. It will be noted in this connection that the rock shaft I 93 has a stop collar 2I3 fixed on the right hand end thereof as viewed in Figs. 12 and 13, and beyond this stop collar 2I3 an operating handle 2I5 is secured. Between the ears 233T and IBI E that are located closest to the stop collar 2I3, the rock shaft I93 is cut away at 216 so as to afford a relatively narrow portion, and this narrow portion may be moved downwardly through a slot 2H in the right hand ear ISIE as will be evident in Fig. 13 of the drawings. The entire assembly may then be moved to the left in Fig. 13 so as to move a cylindrical portion of the shaft I33 into position within a cylindrical bearing opening in this ear IQIE. In such lefthand movement, Fig. 13, a reduced end portion IS3E of the shaft I93 is moved through a complemental bearing opening in the left hand ear 19 IE, and a retaining screw 2I8 having a knurled head is screwed into the reduced end of the shaft I93 on the left hand side of the left hand ear IQiE. The shaft I93 may then be rocked by means of the handle 2I5 so as to rock the jaw assembly between the operating position of Fig, 4 and the loading position of Figs. 3 and 11.

When the jaw assembly is rocked in a clockwise direction, Figs. 3, 5 and 11, and into the aforesaid loading position, the right hand ear 233, Fig. 13, moves into engagement with an adjustable stop 223 that is mounted on a bracket22l secured to the right hand ear I9IE, Fig. 13, of the mounting bracket ISI. Thus the rocking movement of the jaw 33L is terminated, and upon further movement of the handle H5 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 3, the rock shaft I33 will be rotated relative to the ears 233. Such rotative movement brings the cut away cam portions 2I2 into position opposite the ears 233T, thus to allow the sprin 233 to shift the jaw 33L to its open position. Such movement is limited by a radial pin 2I5P on the handle 2I5 which strikes a stop pin 215$ fixed on the adjacent ear. 203 of the jaw 33L. It should be observed in this regard that a spring 222 acts between a pin 223 on the handle 2| 5 and the extended end of the pivot shaft 235 so as to normally urge the shaft 193 to a position where the jaws 33 will be clamped, or in other Words, this action of the .spring 222 serves to rotate the rock shaft I93 in a counter clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3, 5, 11 and 14, relative to the two jaws 33.

While holding the handle 2I5 in a jaw-opening position, the operator inserts a printing plat P into position between the marginal end portions 33E of the jaws, and in this connection it should be observed that a rabbeted groove 33G is provided on the jaw 33L, Fig. 14, so as to be engaged by the edge of the printing plate P as it is moved into position between the jaws. The operator may then turn the handle 2 I 5 in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 3, and this first permits the spring 222 to cause clamping of the jaws, and after thejaws are clamped the further movement of the handle 2I5 acts to shift the jaws 33 to the operating position of Fig. 4. This oper-r ating position is determined by an adjustable abutment or screw 224 fixed in the lower jaw 33L and arranged to abut the upper face of the cross slide 32 as will be evident in Fig. 4 of the drawings. In the reverse movement of the handle 2I5, the jaws 33 are first moved to the loading position, and further or continued movement of the handle 2I5 serves to rotate the shaft I93 relative to the jaws 33 so as to thereby cause the jaws to be unclamped.

The rabbeted groove 33G of the lower jaw 33L serves of course to determine the position of the printing plate P in one direction, but it is also necessary to properly locate the printing plate P in an endwise direction, thereby to insure that the embossed characters will be properly located in an endwise direction relative to the plate P. Under the present invention, means are provided whereby such endwise location of the printing plate P in the jaws 33 may be readily and easily accomplished, and whereby such an endwise location may be readily changed by the usual operator of the machine when different end margins are desired on the printing plates that are to be embossed. For this purpose the present invention provides a readily settable variable stop mechanism 225 disposed on the mounting bracket I9I to afford a stop against which one end edge of a plate P may be engaged in the course of a plate mounting operation. This readily settable stop mechanism 225 as herein shown is carried on a secondary bracket 226 having an arm 226A that is disposed along the forward face of the up-- standing wall I9 IW. The arm 223A is secured in position by screws 22? that extend through longi-.

tudinal slots 228, Fig. 2, in the arm 223A, such screws being threaded into the wall I9 IW. At its left hand end as viewed in Fig. 2, the secondary bracket 226 has an end wall 226W, and this end wall is disposed in a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the wall IQIW. In the wall 226W, a stub shaft 223 is mounted, and on the stub shaft 229, a knurled stop head 233 is rotatably mounted in a fixed longitudinal position. The knurled stop head 233 is arranged to be held in any one of a plurality of different rotative positions by means of a retaining lever 231 mounted on the end Wall 226W and urged to an effective position by a torsion spring 232. The retaining lever 23I engages suitable fiat surfaces on the sides of the adjustable stop head 233 to hold the same in different rotative positions. The knurled stop head 230 is cut away at different points about its periphery to afford a plurality of stop shoulders 239-4, 233-2, 233-4 and 23B4, and these stop shoulders face to the left in Fig, 12 and 13 and are displaced axially from each other so that each stop shoulder will serve to locate a printing plate in a different endwise position. Thus byrotative adjustment of the head 233, the endwise location of the printing plates P may readily be changed. The adjustable stop head 233 is arranged to care for most of the normal marginal arrangements that are encountered in the use of embossing machines of the character to which this invention relates, and accuracy of initial adjustment may of course be attained by appropriate adjustment of the mounting arm 226A. After such an initial adjustment, four different marginal settings for the printing plates may be attained merely by rotative adjustment of the head 230. There are of course instances where it is desirable to emboss printing plates that are relatively short in length, and in such 15 instances, a special stop means may be mounted directly on the rearward face of the angular portion IBIA of the bracket l9 l. Such a special stop is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings and comprises a rectangular block 250 that is disposed on the rearward face of the flange l9! A near the left hand end portion thereof as viewed in Figs.

1 and 2. The block 220 is held in the desired adjusted position by a mounting screw 24! that is extended through a longitudinal slot 242 formed in the flange lillA. The block 245 may of course be put in position quite readily, and may be removed where the machine is to operate upon the larger and more common sizes of the printing plates, in which instance, the adjustable head 23!) will serve to afford the desired stop meansv for determining the end margin on the printing plate.

The plate positioning means that are thus afforded for selectably determining the end margin that is to be attained ar disclosed and claimed in my divisional application, Serial No. 740,305, filed April 9, 1947.

In securing the mounting bracket l9! in position on the cross slide 32 it is of course desirable that this mounting bracket be so positioned that the clamping edges of the jaws 33 will be dis posed parallel to the path of movement of the carriage 33. In accomplishing such mounting, a pair of slots 245 are formed in the bottom member [51B of the bracket, such slots bein parallel to the end flanges 191E, and fastening screws 245 are extended downwardly through such slots and are threaded into the'top wall of the cross slide 32. For convenience in securing accurate location or alignment of the bracket, a pair of aligning members 246 are extended downwardly through the wall [MB and have eccentrics 25? secured on their lower ends, such eccentrics having eccentric pins 2MP thereon that are disposed in a slot 258 formed in the upper wall of the cross slide 32. The rotatable members 246 have slots in their upper ends so that they may be rotated by means of a screw driver, and by gradual rotation of the members 235, the desired aligned relationship of the bracket l! on the cross slide 52 may be readily attained. The bracket may then be clamped in such position by means of the screws 255.

, It has been pointed out hereinbefore that the carriage of the present invention is readily adaptable for use in different kinds of automatic operation, and in Figs. 25 and 26, provision is made for accomplishing automatic line spacing of the cross slide as an incident to a carriage return movement. Such mechanism is useful where the carriage is moved through a left hand or return movement by power means, as for example, in the'embossing machine illustrated and described in my copending application Serial No. 676,780, filed June 14, 194.6. Thus, in Figs. 25 and 26 of the drawings, the line spacing rocker l i2 is operated by a, lever system which differs somewhat from the lever system illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus the mounting stud is arranged to support a lever 255 that has one end disposed beneath the arm I IZA of the line spacing rocker, the other end of the arm or lever being extended. to the left to substantially the left hand edge .of the carriage. Another lever 25! is also supported on the stud 55, and a spring 252 acting between the lever 25I and the left hand end of the lever 255 serves to maintain these levers in the relationship shown in Fig. 25 wherein one edge of the lever 25I is engaged with a stop pin 253 fixed on the lever 259 to the left of the supporting stud 'l5l. Thus when the lever 25! is rocked downwardly or in a counterclockwise direction, it acts yieldingly through the spring 252 so as to rock the lever 255 in a corresponding counterclockwise direction. This causes a line spacin actuation of the line spacing rocker H2. When the carriage 35A is returned to the left to the position shown in Fig. 25, a roller 254 on the end of the arm 25[ engages a one-way cam 255 so that as the return movement progresses, the arm 25! is rocked in a counterclockwise direction so as to effect the desired line spacing operation. After the roller 254 rides beneath the lower end of the cam 255, such roller moves upwardly behind the left hand edge of this cam, and the line spacing mechanism returns to its rest position.

The one-way cam 255 is supported for adjustment on the forward arm 255 of a mounting bracket 251 which is generally U-shaped in form and is secured on the forward face of the rail 3| by screws 258. The cam 255 is supported by a suitable pivot stud 280 on a rockable adjusting plate 26f, and this rockable adjusting plate is pivoted by a pivot screw 252 on the arm 258 of the bracket. Thus by rocking of the'plate 26l the vertical location of the cam 255 may be adjustably determined, thereby to govern the operation of the line spacing mechanism by such cam 255, and the rocking plate 25I is held in its adjusted position by a fastening screw 265 that extends through an arcuate slot 255 in the plate 261 and is threaded through the arm 255.

When the carriage 30A has reached the desired left hand or return position, the left hand end wall of the carriage strikes a, spring plunger 268 that is mounted on the bracket 257 by means in-- cluding a pair of upwardly struck ears 210 that are formed on opposite edges of the lower wall of the bracket.

The one-way cam 255 is urged to the position shown in Fig. 25 by a spring 272 and this position is determined by a pin 213 on the mounting plate 25! which extends into an arcuate slot 2'14 formed in the earn 255. Thus when the carriage has been fully restored and is to start its character spacing movement in a right hand direction, the roller 25d acts on the cam 255 to rock the same in a counterclockwise direction, thereby to move out to the right from beneath the cam 255. Due to this action, the right hand movement of the carriage has no effect upon the line spacing means.

There are instances of course where it may be desirable to impart return movement to the carriage by manually engaging the carriage, and for this purpose a stationary finger piece 286 is fixed on the lower wall 55 of the carriage so as to project forwardly therefrom, and a pivoted finger piece 28! is mounted to the right of the finger piece 285.

so that this finger piece 28! may be pivoted to the left from the position shown in Fig. 25. When this is done, an abutment element 282 on the lever 285 engages an angular cam surface 235 that is formed on the right hand end of a rocking lever 285. This rocking lever is pivoted on the mounting stud l5! and extends to the left from the stud so as to be disposed .over the pin 253 and over the operating arm [55A of the escapement release mechanism. ius when the finger piece 228i is pivoted to the left, the arm 285 will be effective to cause line spacing operation of the cross slide 32 and at the sametime to release the escapement mechanism.

From the foregoing description it will-be apparent that the present invention enables a carriage having a novel and advantageous basic design to be utilized in different types of embossing machines, and the same basic carriage may be utilized either in hand loaded embossing machines or in embossing machines where the loading and other operations with respect to the carriage are performed automatically. It will also be evident that under the present invention, the different variable settings that are required for different embossing operations may be readily and easily performed by the usual operator of the machine. Thus the line spacing, the character spacing and the end margin spacing may be readily changed and varied by the-operator in accordance with the embossing problem that is presented. Moreover, the initial or retracted position of the cross slide may be readily changed and determined by the usual operator of the machine so as to nable printing plates of different widths to be easily and conveniently embossed in the embossing machine in which the carriage of the present invention is utilized. The carriage of the present invention is unusually light in weight, and because of this the wear on the parts of the carriage and the associated mechanism is substantially reduced.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of variation and modification and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations which fall within the purview of the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable character spacing carriage for transverse line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide toward a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a rack on said cross slide disposed parallel to the path of such line spacing movement, a pinion rotatably mounted on said carriage and meshed with said rack, an advancing ratchet wheel in fixed relation to said pinion for rotation therewith, a plurality of locating ratchet wheels in fixed relation to said pinion for rotation therewith, said locating ratchet wheels having difierently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with any one of said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the locating ratchet wheel with which it is aligned to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced position to impart line spacing movement to said cross slide in a line spacing direction, spring means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, and a line spacing lever shiftably mounted on said .carriage and operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position.

2. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a carriage for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a line spacing shaft disposed erpendicular to the path of such line spacing movement and rotatably mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said cross slide for imparting line spacing movements thereto, an actuating ratchet wheel and a plurality of locating ratchet wheels fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said locating ratchet wheels being respectively formed with differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the aligned ratchet wheel to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced position to impart a line spacing movement to said cross slide, sprin means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, and shiftable actuating means on said carriage operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position.

3. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable carriage for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a pair of racks fixed on said cross slide at opposite ends thereof, and disposed parallel to the path of such line spacing movement, a control shaft mounted in said carriage parallel to the path of movement of said carriage and having pinions fixed thereon and meshed with the respective racks, an advancing ratchet wheel and a plurality of locatin ratchet wheels fixed on said shaft, said locating ratchet wheels being respectively formed with differently'spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the aligned ratchet wheel to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced positiori to impart a line spacing movement to said cross slide, spring means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, a line spacing lever extending from and shiftably mounted on said carriage and operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position, and a release rocker for concurrently releasing both of said pawls from said ratchet wheels to enable return of said cross slide to said initial position thereof.

4. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable character spacing carriage for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a pair of racks fixed on said cross slide at op osite ends thereof, and disposed parallel to the path of such line spacing movement, a control shaft mounted in said carriage parallel to the path of movement of said carriage and having pinions mounted thereon and meshed with the respective racks, an advancing ratchet wheel and a plurality of locating ratchet wheels fixed on said'shaft, said locating ratchet wheels being respectively formed with differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the aligned ratchet wheel to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally err-- mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced position to impart a line spacing movement to said cross slide, spring means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, actuating means shiftably mounted on said carriage and operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position, a release rocker upon which said locating ,pawl is supported for shifting movement into alignment with a selected one of said locating ratchet wheels and shiftable to a release position for releasing said locating pawl from the aligned locating ratchet wheel, and means on said rocker operable when the rocker is shifted to said release position, for concurrently releasing said advancing pawl from said advancing ratchet wheel to thereby enable return of said cross slide to said initial position thereof.

5. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a carriage for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide toward a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a rack on said cross slide disposed parallel to the path of such line spacing movement, a pinion rotatably mounted on said carriage and meshed with said rack, an advancing ratchet wheel in fixed relation to said pinion for rotation therewith, a plurality of locating ratchet wheels in fixed relation to said pinion for rotation therewith, said locating ratchet wheels having differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with any one of said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the locating ratchet wheel with which it is aligned to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced position to impart line spacing movement to said cross slide in a line spacing direction, spring means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, actuating means mounted on said carriage and operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position, a release rocker upon which said locating pawl is supported forshifting movement into alignment with a selected one of said locating ratchet wheels and shiftable to a release position for releasing said locating pawl from the aligned locating ratchet wheel, and means on said rocker operable when the rocker is shifted to said release position for concurrently releasing said advancing pawl from said advancing ratchet wheel to thereby enable return of said cross slide to said initial position thereof.

6. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable character spacing carriage for transverse line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a line spacing shaft rotatably mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said cross slide for imparting line spacing movements thereto, an advancing ratchet wheel and a plurality of locating ratchet, wheels fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said locating ratchet wheels being respectively formed with differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the aligned ratchet wheel to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement through a line spacing stroke to impart a line spacing movement to said cross slide, and actuating means operable to actuate said advancing pawl through such a stroke.

'7. In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable character spacing carriage for transverse line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position andopposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a line spacing shaft rotatably mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said cross slide for imparting line spacing movements thereto, means operable through an advancing stroke to actuate said shaft through a line spacing movement and then to release the same for reverse movement, a plurality of locating ratchet wheels fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, said locating ratchet Wheels being respectively formed with differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, and a normally engaged locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and operable to terminate such reverse movement of said shaft in such a manner as to dispose said cross slide in a new line space position determined by the tooth spacing of the aligned ratchet wheel.

8, In a machine of the character described wherein a work supporting cross slide is mounted on a longitudinally movable carriage for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide to a predetermined initial position and opposing line spacing movement thereof to other line spacing positions, a pair of racks fixed on said cross slide at opposite ends thereof, and disposed parallel to the path of such line spacing movement, a control shaft mounted in said carriage parallel to the path of movement of said carriage and having pinions fixed thereon and meshed with the respective racks, an advancing ratchet Wheel and a plurality of locating ratchet wheels fixed on said shaft, said locating ratchet wheels being respectively formed with differently spaced ratchet teeth thereon, a locating pawl adapted for selective alignment with said locating ratchet wheels and normally engaged with the aligned ratchet Wheel to restrain said cross slide against movement by said spring means, an advancing pawl normally engaged with said advancing ratchet wheel and mounted for movement from an initial position to an advanced position to impart a line spacing movement to said cross slide, spring means urging said advancing pawl to said initial position thereof, a line spacing lever extending from and shiftably mounted on said carriage and operable when shifted to actuate said advancing pawl to said advanced position, a release rocker for concurrentl releasing both of said pawls from said ratchet wheels to enable return of said cross slide to said initial position thereof, and differentially settable stop means mounted in part on said carriage and in part on said cross slide and operable to stop such return movement of said cross slide at different initial positions in accordance with the setting of said stop means.

9. In a machine of the character described wherein a character spacing carriage has a transversely shiftable cross slide thereon for attaining line spacing movementcf the work, spring means for urging the cross slide in a return direction to an initial position, an abutment mount ed on the carriage, and a stop rod rotatably mounted on said cross slide parallel to the p th of such line spacing movement and having a plurality of radial pins fixed thereon at longitudinally and circumferentially spaced points whereby any selected one of said radial pins may be brought into alignment with said abutment by rotative setting of said stop rod.

10. In a machine of the character described wherein a character spacing carriage member has a transversely shiftable cross slide member thereon for attaining line spacing movement of the work, spring means for urging the cross slide member in a return direction to an initial position, an abutment mounted on one of said members, and a stop rod rotatably mounted on the other of said members parallel to the path of such line spacing movement and having a plurality of radial pins fixed thereon at longitudinally and circumferentially spaced points whereby any selected one of said radial pins may be brought into alignment with said abutment by rotative setting of said stop rod. I

11. In an embossing machine carriage to be supported on a machine for longitudinal character spacing movement, a cross slide formed as a sheet metal stamping to afford a top wall and downwardly extending flanges about the side and end edges of such top wall, said flanges along opposite sides of said wall having bearing openings therein, guide rods slidably disposed in said openings, a mounting bar to which said guide rods are fixed, fastening means securing said mounting bar on said carriage to dispose said cross slide for line spacing movement along said rods, said top wall of said cross slide having access openings therein through which said fastening means may be removed from or secured in place, spring means acting between said cross slide and said bar to urge said cross slide in a return direction toward an initial position, means for imparting line spacing movement to said cross slide in an advancing direction that is opposite to said I .return direction and including racks secured to said end flanges of said cross slide, and a stop rod rotatably mounted in said side flanges parallel to said guide rods and having a plurality of radial pins thereon displaced longitudinally and circumferentially of said stop rod and adapted by rotative setting of said stop rod to be disposed selectively for engagement with said mounting bar to aiford different initial positions for said cross slide.

12. In a carriage adapted to be supported on an embossing machine for longitudinal character spacing movement, a cross slide formed as a sheet metal stamping to afford a top wall and downwardly extending flanges about the side and end edges of such top wall, said flanges along in a return direction toward an initial position;

13. In a carriage adapted to be supported on an embossing machine for longitudinal characopposite sides of said wall having pairs of aligned" bearingv openings therein, guide rods slidably disposed in said aligned pairs of openings, a mounting bar to which said guide rods are fixed, fastening means securing said mountingbar on said carriage todispose said cross slide for line spacing movement along said rods and relative to said carriage,'said top wall of said cross slide having access openings therein through'which said fastening means may be removed from or secured in place, spring means acting between said cros slide and said bar to urge said cross slide in a return direction toward an initial position, means for imparting line spacing movement to said cross slide in an advancing direction that is opposite to said return direction and including racks secured tosaid end'flanges of said cross slide, and an adjustable stop means mounted in part on said cross slide and including said mounting bar and settable to diflerent relationships for selectively determining-dilferent initial positions for said cross slide.

14. In a carriage adapted to be supported on an embossing machine for longitudinal character spacing movement, a cross slide formed as a sheet metal'stamping to afford a top wall and downwardly extending flanges about the side and end edges of such top wall, said flanges along opposite sides of said wall having aligned pairs of bearing openings therein, guide rod slidably disposed in said aligned pairs of openings, a spring-supporting rod extended between said side flanges in a fixed relation and parallel to said guide rods, a mounting bar to which said guide rods are fixed, spring means surrounding said spring-supporting rod and actingbetween one side flange of said cross slide'and said mounting bar to urge said cross slide in one direction along said guide rods, and fastening means securing said mounting bar on said carriage to dispose said cross slide for line spacing movement along said rods, said top wall of said cross slide having access openings therein throughwhich said fastening mean may be removed from or secured in place.

15. In an embossing machine wherein a longitudinally reciprocable carriage has a work-supporting cross slide mounted thereon for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide in a forward return direction toward an initial position, line spacing means on said carriage for imparting line spacing movements to said cross slide and including an actuating lever mounted for rocking movement on and along the forward face of said carriage, a second lever mounted on said carriage on the same axis as said actuating lever and having a yielding lost motion connection with said actuating lever for rocking said actuating lever through a line spacing stroke, and one-way cam means mounted along the path of movement of said carriage for engagement by said second lever to operate said second lever when said carriage is moved in one direction to a predetermined position.

16. In an embossing machine wherein a longitudinally reciprocable carriage has a work-supporting cross slide mounted thereon for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide in a forward return direction toward an initial position, line spacing'means on said carriage for imparting line spacing movements to said crossrslide and including an actuating lever mounted for rocking movement on and alon the forward face of said carriage, and one-way cam mean -mounted along the path of movement of said carriage for engagement by said lever to operate said lever when said carriage is moved in one direction to a predetermined position. V

17. In an embossing machine 'wherein' alongitudinally reciprocable carriage has a Work-supporting cross slide mounted thereon for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide in a forward return direction toward an initial position, line spacing means for imparting line spacing movements to said cross slide and including an actuating lever mounted, for rocking movement along the forward face of said carriage, a second lever mounted on the same axis as said actuating lever and. having a yielding lost motion connection with said actuating lever for rocking said actuating lever through a line spacing stroke, one-way cam means mounted along the path of movement of said carriage for engagement by said second lever to'operate said second lever when said carriage is moved in one direction to a predetermined position, a third lever mounted for rocking movement on the same axis as said other levers and operable when rocked to impart a line spacing stroke to said actuating lever, a forwardly projecting lever mounted on said carriage on a vertical axis, and cam means operated by said forwardly projecting lever in a pivotal movement to rock said third lever.

18. In an embossing machine wherein a 1ongitudinally reciproeable carriage has a work-supporting cross slide mounted thereon for line spacing movement and has spring means urging said cross-slide in a forward return direction toward an initial position, line spacing means for imparting line spacing movement to said cross slide and including a lever mounted for rocking movement along the forward face of said carriage, a bracket mounted in a stationary position adjacent the path of movement of said carriage, one-way cam means mounted on said 24 bracket for operative engagementv by said lever to operate said lever when said carriage is moved in one direction to a predetermined position, and means for adjusting said one-way cam means on said bracket to determine the efiectiveness thereof on said lever.

'19. In an embossing machine wherein a longitudinally reciprocable carriage has a work-supporting cross slide mounted thereon for line spacing movement, spring means urging said cross slide in a forward return direction toward an initial position, line spacing means for imparting line spacing movements to said cross slide and including an actuating lever mounted for rocking movement along the forward face of said carriage, a second lever mounted on the same axis as said actuating lever and having a yielding lost, motion connection with said actuating lever for rocking said actuating lever through a line spacing stroke, a bracket mounted in a stationary position adjacent the path of movement of said carriage, one-Way cam means mounted on said bracket for operative engagement by said second lever to operate said econd lever when said carriage is moved in one direction to a predetermined position, and means for adjusting said one-way cam means on said bracket to determine the effectiveness thereof on said second lever.

JOHN H. GRUVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

